USMNT rivals, schedule, and venues in Brazil 2014

BRAZIL - The FIFA World Cup draw came in this Friday morning and the United States Men's National Team knows their rivals, schedule, and venues for next summer's big soccer party.

June 16, 2014: USMNT vs Ghana (3:00PM pacific time):

The USA will face Ghana for a third consecutive time in a FIFA World Cup. The past two times the Yanks have fallen to the Africans by the same scoreline of 2-1. In 2006 it was on the final game of the group stage and Ghana took the victory with goals from Haminu Dramman and Stephen Appiah, while Clint Dempsey got the USMNT on the board. In 2010 they would meet each other again this time in an exciting Round of 16 match that was decided by a last minute goal. Kevin Price Boateng gave the Africans the early lead in the 5th minute, Landon Donovan equalized for the Americans in the 62nd. Asamoah Gyan would get a 93rd minute winner to send Ghana to the quarterfinals and leave the USMNT eliminated.

The match will be in the "Das Dunas" stadium in Natal.

June 22, 2014: USA vs Portugal (12 noon pacific time):

The USA side will have the lovely memory of the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea where they defeated Luis Figo's Portugal 3-2. The Portuguese now come in off of Cristiano Ronaldo's superb form. In that 2002 match John O'Brien gave the US an early lead in the 3rd minute and an own-goal by Jorge Costa doubbled the American lead. Brian McBride would make it a party adding the 3-0; before the Europeans tried to mount a come back with goals from Beto Severo and a Jeff Agoos own-goal.

The match will be played in the "Amazonia" stadium in Manaus.

June 26, 2014: Germany vs USA (9:00AM pacific time):

This will be a special match as USMNT head coach Jürgen Klinsmann will be facing his home country and team which he coached during the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Americans and Germans have met in two occasions before in World Cups; once in 1998 where Germany defeated the US 2-0 with goals from Andreas Moller and Jürgen Klinsmann himself. And again in 2002 in where Michael Ballack's goal was enough to get the Germans through to the semifinals over the USMNT.